About
Home Fires

Home Fires is a home ceramics studio in Brunswick Maine where Erin Sprinkle makes functional wares and wearables that harken back to her upbringing in the woods of Maine. Her motifs found in nature are rendered in stoneware clay and porcelain, and are sanded, glazed and fired to a high standard of beauty and functionality.


A family legacy of artistic women and her formal training in Ceramic Arts at the University of Southern Maine fuel Erin’s continuing growth as a ceramic artist. When she’s not in her studio, she can be found spending time with family, making music, sewing, and enjoying time outdoors.

FAQs

  • I mail out my orders within 5 working days of you placing your order, but at busy times of year this maybe slightly longer - I appreciate your patience. You will receive an email confirmation once shipped.

    U.S. SHIPPING

    I do not make profit off of shipping, however it is costly to package and ship fragile items, therefore the customer is responsible for paying the cost of standard shipping on any order they place.

    I ship everything via USPS Ground Services, which takes a standard 2-5 days to arrive. If you need your item to be expedited, you can contact me and pay the extra cost of Priority or Next-Day delivery.

    I cannot be held responsible for shipping delays with USPS, but will do everything I can on my end to make sure your item(s) are shipped safely and in a timely manner.

    INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

    I ship internationally using USPS First-Class Package International Service. The shipping time varies based on location (listed as 11-20 days), as does cost (starting at $15.00) If you need your item sooner, please contact me to adjust shipping service. Customer is responsible for paying the increased shipping cost.

  • All my items are handmade, therefore every one is unique. I celebrate the individual characteristics of each piece, and hope that you will too. My studio is just a one-woman operation and my works are not produced using machines or molds- just my two hands! No two items will ever be exactly the same.

    Before placing an order, please take note of the listed size dimensions for the piece, to avoid being surprised or unhappy with a piece being smaller or larger than it looked in photos. It can be hard to gauge from photos on a screen.

    REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES

    It is important to me that your are 100% happy with your handmade ceramics. If you are not satisfied with your order for any reason, please reach out via email so that I can rectify the situation with you.

    I do everything I can to package your order carefully for safe shipping. In the unlikely event that your piece arrives to you broken or damaged from shipping, I will refund you or replace or exchange your item post haste.

    RETURNING AN ITEM

    Unless an item is faulty, return shipping is your responsibility. If any item is returned in a non-resalable condition (if it gets broken on its return journey) a refund won’t be able to be issued so please ensure it is packaged very carefully (I can advise you on best practices for packaging). I recommend you insure the return package.

  • HAND WASHING VERSUS DISHWASHER

    Hand washing is always gentler on hand-made pottery, as the chemicals in dishwasher detergents can be harsh and will scratch or dull the glazes over time. My pottery is durable enough to put in the dishwasher if you wish to, however to keep the glazes looking their best I recommend hand washing as a rule. In addition to dulling the glazes, there is a greater risk of ceramics getting chipped or cracked in the dishwasher.

    MICROWAVE USE

    I work primarily in stoneware and porcelain, which is very durable and is perfectly safe to use in the microwave. I put my handmade mugs in the microwave all the time at home. However, I am not able to test a variety of microwaves and their long-term affect on the pottery. It is possible that over time it could make the pot more fragile. If you want to err on the safe side, don’t put your pot in the microwave.

    *WARNING: If a piece has gold luster on it, it is NOT SAFE to put in the microwave.

    THERMAL SHOCK

    As with all ceramics, do not expose your pottery to sudden or rapid temperature changes. The risk of thermal shock is greater when pottery is large. Always warm pots or large mugs with a little hot water before filling. Allow freshly boiled water to cool a little before filling your mug. Always heat food in ceramics from a cold oven. Never put a plate from the fridge into the oven or microwave, never put a hot dish into a sink of cool or cold water, or else they could crack or explode.

    JEWELRY

    If you have an allergy to certain metals used for earring hooks or hoops, I may be able to replace it with a different metal. Please get in touch to discuss options.

    Clean your ceramic jewelry with mild soap and water. stronger cleaning solutions could damage or dull the glaze. Disinfect earring posts, hooks and hoops with rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball.

    Stoneware and porcelain are fairly durable materials, however the piece could definitely break or crack if dropped onto a hard surface. Treat all jewelry as fragile.